Success Stories

To ensure confidentiality for our clients, only alias are used in the stories below

​In 2008 Laura, a single foster mother, came to OCH because her 5yr. old foster daughter, Angel, needed specialized care. Angel, like many foster youth, suffered the kind of abuse that no one wants to hear or talk about… including her little body being wrapped in rope to keep her from escaping the basement she was locked in. Her entire life up to this point included severe neglect and horrific abuse; it was the only life she knew. ​​After being placed with Laura, Angel would wake up in the middle of the night terrified, and cried for 2 hours straight every morning. Even the smallest self-care tasks like showering were overwhelming for Angel. One day, Laura got a call from Angel’s school because they had read a story in class about a basement, which paralyzed Angel with flashbacks, and caused a traumatic downward spiral.

“People think that if you take a child out of a bad situation and put them in a loving home, that everything will magically be ok, that is just not the case. Foster kids are constantly trying to cope with what happened to them during their vital development years and the PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) that comes with it” Laura explains.

Laura and Angel spent 4 years working with their OCH team, and the limited community resources available to families facing such trauma. On October 11th 2012 Laura officially adopted Angel, but their story was far from over…

A few days after Thanksgiving 2014 Laura received a call from Ray, the OCH intake worker, asking her if she would be willing to take in a brother and sister who were in a temporary shelter, and would be separated if she couldn’t take them.

“I was hesitant because I wasn’t sure that I could triple the care I was giving, especially since these kids had suffered much of the same types of abuse as Angel,” Laura continued, “but Angel encouraged me.” “Mom, can we please just go meet them, they need help just like I needed help,” Angel begged​On December 12 2014 at 9:30pm, Sara and Peter were dropped off at Laura’s home with only a few items their school had collected for them. They were both so thin from neglect and skittish because of the severe abuse they endured; Sara immediately started vomiting, which continued for days.

“She was so thin and she could not stop vomiting; I was so afraid we were going to lose her.”-Laura​Peter was quiet and ready to follow any direction he was given. He was protective of his sister, often not allowing her to speak for fear she may be hurt by their father again for talking about what he did to them.

Angel was 12yrs old when Sara and Peter arrived. She showed her new little foster brother and sister remarkable strength, courage, love and understanding. She even moved into a room in the basement to make the placement possible. This was a huge testament to how hard she worked in therapy to overcome the trauma she endured and to her selflessness at such a young age. ​Over the following 4 years, Laura again tapped into every available community resource and worked diligently with the OCH team to surround Sara and Peter with services tailored to their special needs. At ages 7 and 8, they had not been taught simple things like how to eat using utensils or zipper a jacket.

“I knew how to handle some of the challenges because of what I had been through with Angel, but every kid has different triggers and coping mechanisms…and, Angel is strong, but hearing what Sara and Peter had been through caused some of her own trauma to resurface. It was really tough for all of us,” Laura expressed.

2 weeks ago today, Friday Oct 19th 2018, Sara and Peter were adopted and could finally breathe easy knowing they were secure in their forever family.​"The kids, especially Peter, were fearful that the judge could still say “no” to their adoption, and when Peter heard the judge read his new name, his voice shook and tears streamed down his face. There was this weight that just lifted off of us… they were safe…they were home.” ~ Laura, Our Homestead Hero

"I have been in the system since I could remember, somewhere around 5 or 6. I was placed in about 15 different foster homes and 3 group homes. When I was a teenager I was placed into a new agency that ultimately changed my life. The best foster home I was in I was her first foster girl and she took a huge leap of faith for me. From there I got my GED, a job, and a sense of love. Before I was in this amazing home I was labeled as a excessive runaway, I never ran away from this home, I actually stayed until I was 19 and moved out into independent living. I stayed in the system until I was 23 - taking advantage of the many programs DCFS has for wards. I stayed in the independent living program until age 21 and from there I went to college and received benefits for maintaining good grades and enrollment. At age 23 I was left on my own to figure things out, but I wasn't scared because Our Children's Homestead had already given me tools to use and provided me with a support system via my foster mom who always stayed on me to achieve my goals. I always knew I wanted to be a foster parent after being in so many homes that had mistreated me. At age 24 I contacted OCH and began the process of becoming a licensed foster parent. There was still a lot of staff that knew me as a teenager there so they already knew the type of person I was and made my transition a great one! One thing that I appreciate from OCH was that I was never judged as a teenager or an adult due to my sexual orientation. My wife and I just adopted two wonderful special needs children after fostering them through Our Children's Homestead and we couldn't be happier. The adoption specialists were wonderful at making sure our lawyer had everything she needed to make our adoption go fast and smoothly. We are still active foster parents within OCH and plan to be a home for children for many years to come. I made myself a promise, and that was to never become a stereotype. My journey may have not been easy, but the destination makes up for it all." ~ Danielle, previous foster youth/foster parent/adoptive parent/beautiful soul

"I have been working with “David” for over two and a half years. When I met him he had already moved multiple times and was struggling to remain stable in his foster home. He was also having significant academic difficulties. About a year later, David moved to a new home, and immediately, I saw positive change. Although he pushed limits in this home, his foster parents always reinforced the message that he was wanted and a part of their family. David started collaborating in therapy and with his foster family and began to grow and develop, both in his struggles and as a person. I have been honored to help him understand emotions: how they function for him and how to understand what other people think and feel. David grew in the first two years tremendously, not only on learning how to interact appropriately with the individuals in his life, but also on understanding how to deal with difficult situations. This past year he experienced a significant setback where a major goal of his, his passion, and something he valued above everything else was taken from him: he was ineligible to play basketball during his final year of high school. David became depressed, angry and unable to deal with his distressing emotions. This therapist worked diligently with both him and his foster parent, helping him work through the difficult feelings and regain hope that his future goals were not out of reach. By receiving the support he needed, he has been able to deal with the difficult situation, while working harder than ever towards his goals. David remains committed to moving forward and has learned now more than ever that he can rely on his support system to make it through difficult times. David will now be applying to college for next year and continues to pursue his dream of playing basketball in college. "​ ~ an OCH therapist

Over 2 1/2 years ago Kelly was discharged from Allendale residential facility into an OCH specialized foster home. Since coming into OCH's care, she has not needed any medications nor psychiatric care. She graduated high school and has already completed 1 year of community college. She has also been accepted into an independent living program. Kelly has achieved all of this while parenting her baby boy and working a part-time job." ​ ~ A Proud OCH Caseworker